SDG9 is primarily concerned with fostering and strengthening the engines that build modern society.

Knowledge building and information access are considered key elements to facilitate this. Capacity building in R&D and Internet access are important enablers for innovation, and were therefore chosen as key parameters in assessing SDG9. In addition, we have a third parameter concerned with industrial development. Sustainability and inclusion issues are assessed under SDG8 and not explicitly targeted under SDG9. Nevertheless, a good score on SDG9 contributes strongly to the sustainable transformation of industries.

Conclusion

China, USA, and OECD score well on the indicators and are rated green in total. BRISE scores red, yellow, and green on the three indicators, receiving yellow in the overall rating. ROW gets yellow, based on the two indicators that we were able to rate.

Understanding the score

Five regions: USA, OECD (excl. USA), China, BRISE (Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa and 10 other emerging economies), ROW (rest of the world).
Green light: Goal likely to be reached.
Orange light: Goal not likely to be reached, but more than 50% of the gap between today's status and the goal is likely to be closed.
Red light: Goal not likely to be reached, and less than 50% of the gap between today's status and the goal is likely to be closed.

Hydro: Future circular

Hundreds of millions of people have emerged from poverty into the global middle-class during the last decade, and many more millions will do so in the coming years. But how does one reconcile continued economic growth with environmental sustainability?

This dilemma is at the heart of SDG 9, which, in part, calls for innovation to drive increased resource use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes.

As a global aluminium company, Hydro regards sustainability both as part of its license to operate and as key to its future competitiveness. "Doors will start to close on those who remain part of the problem, while new doors will open for those who are part of the solution," says CEO, Svein Richard Brandtzæg."Not only do we want to avoid doors closing on us, but want to be among the very first to enter the doors that will open as the world moves towards a low-carbon reality. That is why we have one of the most ambitious climate strategies in our industry, which is to become carbon-neutral from a life-cycle perspective by 2020. We are a 110 year old company and we are talking about the next 100 years. We are thinking of long-term solutions and we are confident about the direction of the market. We know that if we are going to sell our products in the future, we need to be a sustainable company."

"Right now, it costs more money to be sustainable and do the right things for the future, and that is going to change, in the end. It can't be more expensive to do business the sustainable way," says Brandtzæg.

For the complete forecast on SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure and the full Hydro story, download the report.